[On 4/20/01, the following article appeared in the local Jacksonville (NC)
Daily News newspaper (and on its internet site). Since it has since been removed
from it’s original site ("http://www.jdnews.com/stories/2001/04/29/news01.shtml"),
it is being reposted here, verbatim.]

BEAUFORT -- Mac vs. PC: It’s a debate computer users wage every day.
Now the battle line has moved to Carteret County.

John Droz Jr. of Emerald Isle, a spokesman for a citizens group, took the
issue before the Board of Commissioners last week. He questioned a plan to switch
Carteret County schools from Macintosh computers to PCs and Microsoft Windows.

He called it a move that would hurt students and teachers at a cost to taxpayers.

Droz, who worked in the computer field for more than 30 years and has volunteered
thousands of hours of computer assistance to students and teachers, said there
are three main reasons his group opposes the change.

He said studies indicate that students are more creative and more productive
when using Macintosh equipment. Droz also said teachers he knows prefer the Mac.

“This computer decision will make their already demanding jobs unnecessarily
more difficult,” he told commissioners.

Another concern is the financial impact, Droz said. “When this change
gets consummated, the school budget will increase by approximately $1 million
a year,” he said.

Factoring in a number of variables, including the initial purchase cost, setup
and software, training costs, ongoing maintenance and the life of the computers,
Droz estimated it will cost the schools $400 more per year per computer for PCs.

It’s a claim backed by a number of studies found by the group, including
one by International Data Corporation.

When looking at the total cost of ownership, schools surveyed in the study
gave Macintosh a higher rating than PCs for overall effectiveness.

The study looked beyond initial purchase costs for computers, and noted the
savings of the Macintosh, which doesn’t have to be replaced as often, is
used longer before an upgrade is needed, requires less technical support, and
provides for easy and quick training.

Although Droz said he finds it difficult to place himself in a controversial
situation, he believes he has the technical knowledge to assess the issue. And
he feels it’s “just the right thing to do.”

A retiree who splits his time between homes here and in New York, Droz said
he has a strong interest in education. In addition to his volunteer time providing
computer assistance in the schools, he has served on a New York school board.
And though he has been a Macintosh consultant, he has no current affiliation with
Apple.

“This change is financially flawed and very harmful business,” he
told commissioners.

Others also asked the board to give careful consideration to the computer
change.

Bob Stone of Cape Carteret said the estimated $1 million additional cost is
money that could be better spent elsewhere. “With $1 million, certainly we
could get some good teachers,” he said.

Larry LaBrie of Pine Knoll Shores said although the county board does not
have line-item control over the school system budget, it does have approval over
the county’s overall spending. And he hopes the board will halt what they
consider unnecessary spending.

“We’re hoping this is where the buck stops,” he said.

Droz asked that the county reactivate its Citizens Technical Advisory Committee,
a group which was formed after the $29 million school bond referendum was passed
in 1994. The bond provided funds to modernize the school system’s technology
program.

It was recommended at that time that the school system standardize on Macintosh
computers, which are now in use.